Will Google's 7-inch Nexus 7 become discontinued when a second-generation model is launched?
Google

Google's next-generation Nexus 7 tablet may be ready to hit the market by July.

The tech giant's latest offering will host a high-screen resolution and a thinner design, and will replace Nvidia's Tegra 3 processor with Qualcomm's Snapdragon chip, according to Reuters.

Both processors were considered, but Qualcomm's offering was selected due to "power reasons."

DisplaySearch analyst Paul Semenza has told CNET that although the 7-inch Nexus tablet currently supports a pixel density of 216 pixels per inch, the Asian supply chain indicates the next model may reach 323 pixels per inch. In addition, O-Film reportedly has been producing touch-screen glass since December that is thinner than standard screens in the tablet market, and this has lowered manufacturing costs for the next-generation tablet.

Citing unnamed sources, Reuters says that Google hopes to ship approximately 6 million to 8 million tablets in the second half of 2013 in order to compete with low-priced tablets including Apple's iPad Mini and Amazon's Kindle Fire.

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Previous reports suggested that the second-generation tablet will be aimed at a price point lower than the $199 Nexus 7, potentially reaching $150 or even as low as $99.

Instead of relying on high-end hardware to boost profit margins, Google makes the majority of its revenue from online advertising -- and so the more users Google can entice to try out the Nexus range, the more exposure there is for ads.

However, as rival Apple is expected to launch a set of new iPad models this year, the publication's sources also said that Google's plans are "fluid," and pricing is yet to become set in stone. Depending on how other tech firms operate this year and what new products appear on our shelves, the price-point and shipment expectations may change.

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